Presumably the main beneficiaries of these complex ‘marketing’ schemes being promoted by our trade body (hgca as was) are brokers, agents, multi national traders, bankers and various middlemen - NOT farmers

It's simplicity is the appeal. As soon as Options are explained to me, put calls, etc I get thrown. And then you have to employ a city boy to do it for you! Or you can do it yourself and then at the bottom of the Options trading page it says something like "Options trading can be speculative and carry substantial risk of loss".

Presumably the main beneficiaries of these complex ‘marketing’ schemes being promoted by our trade body (hgca as was) are brokers, agents, multi national traders, bankers and various middlemen - NOT farmers

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I don't think they are in it for fun, I'm sure they have worked it out and 'probability' will come in to play also but for me ,I can only see one real winner financially. It does sound like spread betting to me.

It's simplicity is the appeal. As soon as Options are explained to me, put calls, etc I get thrown. And then you have to employ a city boy to do it for you! Or you can do it yourself and then at the bottom of the Options trading page it says something like "Options trading can be speculative and carry substantial risk of loss".

Not for me - insurance seems the way to go.

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With options you risk loosing the cost of the option

With insurance you risk wasting the cost of the premium

So both can cost you in a season where you don’t need them, it really is the same thing and same risk level, only difference here is simplicity or explanation,

It’s inportant anyone using any of these tools fully understands them so what stable have done is a good thing that will bring access to such risk management mechanisms to many more

I don't think they are in it for fun, I'm sure they have worked it out and 'probability' will come in to play also but for me ,I can only see one real winner financially. It does sound like spread betting to me.

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Although spread betting is incredibly risky and uses leveraging so losses can be magnified; it's therefore legally classed as 'gambling' and something I'm not prepared to do with the farm's money. 'Insurance' is legally classed as insurance and comes under protection from the FCA and like insuring the car, I can only lose the premium,

It's simplicity is the appeal. As soon as Options are explained to me, put calls, etc I get thrown. And then you have to employ a city boy to do it for you! Or you can do it yourself and then at the bottom of the Options trading page it says something like "Options trading can be speculative and carry substantial risk of loss".

Not for me - insurance seems the way to go.

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You are right, insurance does seem a lot safer.
Insurance was particularly safe in the late 80’s and early 90’s when suddenly many farmers in Lloyd’s of London suddenly discovered that many of their syndicates were writing naked options on asbestos policies in the USA. Also many farmers with Lloyd’s of London were involved with the fraudulent Gooda walker insurance syndicate.
Many farmers and landowners lost huge sums of money and/or their farms based on getting involved in insurance, and much of that was discovered to be unlawful if not unregulated, so don’t think you are choosing something that’s safe over something that isn’t.
I think it is likely to be an excellent tool and I will almost certainly use it, but eyes need to be firmly open.